Author's note:
This is the first fanfic I'm publishing, and one of my first attempts at creative writing. I am not a native speaker of English, but I have always read Harry Potter in English, so I feel more comfortable writing about it in English. Any constructive criticism is appreciated.
October 1972
Cygnus Black was raging. „How dare he?" He shouted. "That filthy son of muggles!" Mudblood, he almost had said, but he had always despised that word, and even now, he wouldn't stoop down to such levels.
Just two hours ago, his daughter Andromeda had informed her about her intention to marry Edward "Ted" Tonks. A muggle-born marrying Andromeda Black, daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black, pure-bloods for at least seven generations. No, that thought was unbearable for Cygnus. That's not what he had in mind for his daughter's future.
Cygnus Black, unlike other members of the family, had never considered himself a hater of muggle-borns. It was silly to blame them for their blood status, after all, they had not chosen it. But – if they wanted to become a part of the wizarding society, they had to adhere to the rules of the world they were entering. And part of that were the old pure-blood families not marrying outside this select group. Cygnus didn't know much about muggle history, but he was certain that a similar rule existed for muggle nobility.
That muggle-born didn't understand what he was doing. But Andromeda should have known better. If it had been a different time, Cygnus maybe would have forgiven them one day. But the wizarding world was at war. Never had magical Britain been this divided. And now that divide went right through his family. The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black had been torn right in two by Andromeda's foolish actions.
Cygnus had been so proud when his eldest daughter Bellatrix had married Rodolphus Lestrange, heir to the immensely wealthy, ancient and noble House of Lestrange. But Rodolphus was also one of the fiercest supporters of Tom Riddle, who now called himself Lord Voldemort. But Bellatrix had grown more fanatical every day since then, and soon surpassed her husband.
Orion and Walburga would never forgive Andromeda either. Walburga would blast her off the family tree, and from this day, pretend Andromeda had never existed. Bellatrix would do the same, if not something worse. There was no way he could keep both of his oldest daughters.
Andromeda or Bellatrix. Bellatrix or Andromeda? No father should have to make this choice, Cygnus thought. And yet he had to make it. For an outsider, the decision was clear. On the one hand Bellatrix, who had married the heir of the Lestranges, who had joined the fight to defend their culture against the muggle-borns. On the other hand, the disobedient Andromeda, who had brought shame upon her family by intending to marry one.
But for Cygnus, it wasn't as easy. He loved all three of his daughters. Those outsiders, who now all expected him to do what they called "the right thing". They didn't know Andromeda. They only saw the pureblood marrying a "mudblood". They had no problem to pretend she had never existed. But he, Cygnus Black, would remember. He could disown her and blast her off the family tree, but he couldn't wipe out the past twenty years.
Yet, he had to do what society expected from him. It was the only way. If he acted differently, his family would be torn apart and scattered. And after all, Andromeda should have known. She had chosen her life as an outcast.
But Cygnus still hated himself for what he had to do. Why did everyone have to choose today? To choose between Voldemort, the advocate of blood purity, who dreamt of wiping out the muggle-borns and would resort to terrorism to achieve his goals, and the muggle-loving fool Dumbledore who wanted everyone to become like them and who would destroy the traditional wizarding society. Both of them half-bloods, ironically.
Why couldn't everything remain as it had been in the time of his father Pollux, or his grandfather, after whom he was named? They only had to look after their family, maintain their wealth and influence, but there was no war going on, no picking sides. Then he wouldn't face this choice now. His aunt Cedrella hadn't exactly made the family proud by marrying Septimus Weasley. And yet she had remained on the tapestry before Walburga had moved in at Grimmauld Place. Arcturus had never quite forgiven her, but retained a friendly, even if somewhat cooler, relation to his daughter. Why couldn't he have that option?
His wife Druella entered the room. Her usually beautiful hair was in disarray, her eyes were reddened and dried tears were visible on her cheeks.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice weak.
"I don't know. I know what everyone expects us to do, but if it is right, why does it feel so wrong?" he responded.
"You think you have a choice." Druella said. "But there is none. It's too late to change things now. We have lost her."
She was right. He never had a choice. If he would tolerate Andromeda's decision, the family would fall apart. Bellatrix wouldn't forgive him, thinking he preferred Andromeda over her. It would be enough for Walburga and Orion to call him a blood-traitor. Lucius would probably refuse to marry Narcissa. Why should Narcissa suffer for her sister's faults? He was the head of the House of Black, and as such, the honour of the whole family depended on his decision. Druella was right. There was no choice.
Cygnus Black kept telling this to himself to shield himself from the guilt. He wanted to think that he had made the right decision and not just the easy one.
December 1981
Cygnus Black was walking through the front garden, past the pool, towards the house. A muggle house like any other, at first sight. Cygnus' heart was throbbing, as he walked towards the door, with a mixed feeling of guilt and anxiety, but also the hope that after eight years, their divide would finally be overcome.
He heard voices from inside. One was familiar to him, the voice of a young woman, which he had not heard for eight years. There was also a male voice. That must be her husband. The third one belonged to a small girl, no older than eight years. His grand-daughter he had not seen growing up.
He rang the bell, his heart beating faster than ever this evening. In the past two months, everything had changed. Voldemort was gone. Bella was in Azkaban, Lucius was keeping a low profile, trying to talk down the role he had played in the war.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when the door opened. He immediately recognized her. She had aged, of course, but she still had the long, curly brown hair. She had a surprised expression on her face when she recognized the visitor.
"You! What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Andromeda, I'm so sorry. I had no choice. But now he's gone…"
Her expression turned from surprise to fury.
"COWARD!" She cried. "You had eight years' time to regret your decision! And now the Dark Lord is conveniently gone, you remember you had a third daughter!"
"Andromeda, please…"
"No please! You could have tried to help us when we were outcasts, when the death eaters were hunting us as a blood traitor and a mudblood! When my dear sister threatened to kill me! But you're always on the winning side! Now the Dark Lord is gone, you say you forgive me, say you regret everything. Maybe you even do, but not because of me, but because of yourself. You remain a selfish coward!"
"I am head of the House of Black. I had to think about all our family."
"See where you got them?" Andromeda yelled. "Bella is in jail. Narcissa and her death eater husband will follow soon, for all we know. Regulus is dead. Orion is dead. The House of Black is done. You did none of them a favour by playing it safe. But it's always the same with you. You're not doing what is right but what is easy."
Andromeda was so furious now, she was almost looking like her elder sister.
"Please forgive me, Andromeda." Cygnus was almost sobbing.
"No. You still only care about how you appear in public. A father forgiving his blood-traitor daughter, what a touching story. You have made the decision to no longer call me your daughter, so you're no longer my father. Live with it."
She slammed the door shut. Cygnus turned around and slowly walked back through the front garden. Now, he knew that he had truly lost her.
He recalled the words of his daughter. She was right with everything she said. The House of Black was in ruins. Cygnus Black had failed.
She was right except for one thing. He really had forgiven her. But what reason had she to forgive him?